Gisborne have now not beaten Rotorua for 11 years and in completing their four-team sweep here at the weekend, the visitors also claimed the Craig Callaghan Memorial Trophy for the fifth year in a row.
Gisborne head coach Duane Hihi’s crew competed gamely.
In the second half of Saturday’s match, they were outscored by only two points, continuing a trend of strong finishes.
But Gisborne need to keep the score low from start to finish. If they can keep things tight and close, the team led by openside flanker Braith Ingram and second five-eighth Puna Hihi are capable of their first GBHS Super 8 win in three years.
“We’re happy with the progress and improvements these boys are making,” coach Hihi said. “They’re starting to understand the complexities of first 15 rugby, mentally and physically. Staying in the fight in vital moments is the work-on for us because this team’s beginning to trust the process.”
Hihi pointed to the quality of the lineout drive left-side that twice put Torrance-Cribb within striking distance early on, and long periods spent on defence as proof of the fighting black-and-reds’ resilience.
Gisborne’s MVP (most valuable player), Safin Tuwairua-Brown — in for first-five Te-Reimana Gray — was well worth the award with his reading of the game and deft touch.
Hard on the heels of a great take by his locking partner Joe Kemp at the first lineout of the game, Reuben Whaitiri won ball in the middle, five metres from Rotorua’s goal-line. Ingram got a magic pass to the rake and Torrance-Cribb scored in the left corner, three minutes into the game.
Fullbacks Maloni Kunawave and Gibson Poi traded long kicks at the restart but a ruck-break by RBHS lock Jacob Gilbert from halfway to the 22 had Gisborne on the run. Raukura pushed left and Vake scored out wide in the fifth minute. Second-five Kees van der Heyden landed the first of his four first-half conversions for 7-5.
The Kieran Botha-led Rotorua led 28-10 at the break after Vake went 60m to score his second try nine minutes in, first-five Ryan Elliot (19th minute) shimmied through the centre and Vake, at the 27-minute mark, completed his hat-trick for a bonus point (four tries).
Gisborne’s Torrance-Cribb scored in a manner and at a spot on the field almost identical to that of his first effort after half an hour to close it to 28-10.
At the 41st minute, massive Rotorua tighthead prop Lio Sagato held a pop pass from his co-captain, halfback Jai Tamati, a metre from Gisborne’s goal-line to score.
Van der Heyden’s conversion made it 35-10.
In the 58th minute, GBHS centre Kaiaio Kerekere-Tangira scored a magnificent try.
From an attacking scrum 45m out midfield, reserve halfback Kauri Christie went right to Tuwairua-Brown, his chip kick was fielded by Kerekere-Tangira on the fly, Kerekere-Tangira sold a dummy pass to Poi in support and scored next to the posts. It was a beautifully-balanced 30m run. Christie converted for 35-17.
In the 67th minute, right wing Lytle Brophy scored for RBHS after Gisborne missed touch on a line-kick from a penalty, and Tamati ran the ball back at them. He came around the mountain down the right sideline, put in a grubber kick, fell and the chasing Brophy toed the ball ahead once more before winning the race to score under the bar. Kunawave converted for 42-17.
In the 70th minute, after a heroic 60m run from Ingram and a mighty push from Gisborne’s forwards in the left corner, Tuwairua-Brown scored in the rubble for 42-22.
Gisborne second-15 head coach Mike Kora had reason to be pleased with his charges’ effort against Rotorua, as did his colleagues Richard Brown (u15s) and Mark Jefferson (u14s).
“Blindside flanker Samuel Fox was our player of the day,” Jefferson said. “He tackled non-stop, carried the ball hard and worked relentlessly for his team.”
Of the second 15, Kora said: “The boys played their hearts out to the end, which was awesome and our best game to date because while we beat Napier 13-7 here in Round 1, Rotorua beat Napier 47-5 the week after that.”
Brown said of his u15s: “Our tackling was an area of improvement on the Palmerston North game but our communication still needs work. Our set-piece worked well but errors and missed kicks cost us on attack. If we tidy up those areas, we’ll be much better.”
Super 8, Round 3 results
First 15s: GBHS 22 (Noah Torrance-Cribb 2, Safin Tuwairua-Brown, Kaiaio Tangira-Kerekere, tries; Kauri Christie con) RBHS 42 (Ngatanatafu Vake 3, Ryan Elliot, Lio Sagato, Lytle Brophy, tries; Kees van der Heyden 5 con, Maloni Kunawave con). HT 28-10.
MVPs —Safin Tuwairua-Brown (GBHS), Ngatanatafu Vake (RBHS).
Second 15s: GBHS 17 (Bekko Page, Levi Soto, tries; David Gray 2 con, pen) RBHS 24 (Oscar Gibson 2, Mark Rounds, Warena Morgan, tries; Tukotahi Richards-Te Whau 2 con). HT 12-10 (RBHS).
MVPs: Levi Soto (GBHS), Oscar Gibson (RBHS).
Under-15s: GBHS 19 (Uluaki Tavake 2, Josh Aukuso, tries; Ruan Ludwig 2 con) RBHS 42 (Jackson Hill 3, Sam Wall, Nico Reed, William Ngamoki-Hohepa, Khan Henderson, Morehu Nikora-Reuben, tries; Henderson con). HT 15-12 (RBHS).
MVPs: Uluaki Tavake (GBHS), Connor Banks (RBHS).
Under-14s: GBHS 0 RBHS 32 (Kayden Martin 2, Nicholas Te Wake, Shaeyden Rogers, Mikaere Fritzell, Prynce Love, tries; Martin con).
HT 27-0.
MVPs: Samuel Fox (GBHS), Rylin Emery (RBHS).
